1. Field
The subject invention is in the field of apparatus used to repeatedly cause an object to rebound off the apparatus, tennis rackets and ping-pong paddles being typical of such apparatus. More specifically it is in the field of such apparatus made with sheet material or fabric and, still more specifically being a garment or part of a garment.
2. Prior Art
There is little prior art to the subject invention known to the inventor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,117 shows a harness, which could be considered to be a garment, to which a ball is tethered by an elastic cord. The cord causes the ball to return toward the wearer of the harness after the ball has been propelled away from the wearer. No rebound is involved. Trampolines are another example of prior art to the subject invention in that they comprises elastic material or elastically supported material on which the users rebound repeatedly. Blankets used in blanket tossing people and firemen's rescue apparatus for safely arresting the fall of people are further examples. None of the known prior art provides garments or parts of garments made of sheet material for causing rebounding of objects striking the material.
Accordingly the prime objective of the subject invention is to provide such a garment. For purposes of simplifying this disclosure the term garment includes garments in which a part of the garment provides the capability for rebounding objects. Further objectives are that the invention be: safe, lightweight, durable, compactable for storage, readily manufacturable and adjustable to suit a range of sizes of users. Another further objective is that the safety be based on the facts that the invention has no hard and/or sharp components and that the user's limbs are in no way encumbered in use of the invention.